Physicians in the United States Congress

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Physicians in the United States Congress have been a small minority, but substantially overrepresent the number of practicing physicians in the United States.[1] The number of physicians serving and running for Congress has risen over the last 50 years from 5 in 1960, down to a nadir of 2 in 1990, to a maximum of 21 in 2013 and a decrease to 14 in 2017. Possible explanations for this development have been increasing health care spending, increased health care reform debate in the United States, leading up to the Healthcare Reform Act.

History

During the first 100 years of Congress (1789–1889) 252 (or 4.6 percent) of 5405 members were physicians.[4]

20th and 21st century

The number of physicians serving and running for Congress has risen over the last 50 years from 5 in 1960, down to 3 in 1970 and a nadir of 2 in 1990 up to 10 (2000)[4] to a maximum of 21, including one female physician, in 2013,[5] as of 2015, there were 18, and as of 2017 15 physicians.[6] and a small decrease to 15 in 2017.

Physicians in the US Congress have been a small minority, but they substantially overrepresent the number of practicing physicians in the US.[7]

Motivations

Tom Coburn said, "physicians have watched the profession undergo tremendous realignments that are shifting doctors' responsibilities away from patient care, changes they attribute to the government's inefficacy".[9] Jim McDermott was quoted as saying "They want to have their hands right there on the handle so they can pull it one way or another."[9] Physicians "balked at the idea of lawmakers with no medical experience making decisions that could upend the profession", per Andy Harris.[9]

Kelley Paul, wife of Rand Paul said in 2015 when he made his 2016 White House bid, "Being a physician gives Rand a unique perspective in Washington, simply because he's trained to diagnose a problem and find a solution." [10]

Party membership

In 2013, three quarters of physicians in Congress were Republican,[5] and 80% as of 2017.[6] As a possible reason Jim McDermott offered, "politically conservative physicians were more likely to chafe at the direction of changes in health care, with greater oversight by the government and a more regulated role for the private sector. It's a fundamental debate about what is in the public good."[9]

During the 2016 cycle the AMA political action committee spent $2 million with "direct contributions to 348 physician-friendly [Congressional] candidates (58% Republican and 46% Democratic)".[11]

Gender, geography and medical specialty

Of the 27 physicians in Congress since 2005, 93% have been men, which is in stark contrast to 70% male physicians in general, 63% were from the South (vs 35% of all Congressional members) and 26% were surgeons (vs 11% of all US physicians).[12]

Public opinion

In 2013, the AMA funded 3 focus groups of voters across the country and an online survey to research public opinion on physicians as Congressional candidates. The top scoring potential message for a physician was to link back to health care expertise "Because physicians work in health care on a daily basis, they bring a clear understanding of the problems facing our healthcare industry, including the bureaucratic red tape that is strangling health care providers and driving up the cost of health care for most Americans."[8]

Candidates, 2014

Senate candidates in 2014 included "an obstetrician in North Carolina, Milton R. Wolf, a radiologist in Kansas, a liver disease specialist in Louisiana, and Representatives Paul Broun and Phil Gingrey in Georgia, all of them Republicans. At least 26 more physicians were running for the House, some for re-election." per a New York Times article from March 2014.[9]

113th Congress (2013–2015)

From 2013 to 2015 there were 20 physicians in U.S.Congress, 19 of whom were male and 16 were members of the Republican party.